Impressions - October/November 2020 - 19

The COVID Impact
Vanover says there has been a temporary decline in performancewear
sales across the board, with fewer people going to the gym or playing
sports, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, as students
Perhaps one of the most
versatile apparel items
for women, leggings
have become a staple
in wardrobes and are
here to stay.

begin a cautious return to school, sales are expected to increase.
He adds that another challenge posed by the pandemic is a disruption in global supply chains, combined with preexisting tariffs. "If
[the supply chain] continues [to be affected], we may see availability
of certain goods become more scarce," he says.
Conversely, Thompson doesn't think the pandemic will slow
performancewear sales because people will be looking for comfort
at home, as they likely won't be returning to the office or gyms in
the immediate future. Shaman agrees, saying the category will grow
due to both social changes and the attractiveness of the technologies
in the product lines.
Zimmerman says the market actually may become oversaturated,
with fabric, fit and function as important differentiators.

Demographics as Influencing Trends

Leggings: Here to Stay
Perhaps one of the most versatile apparel
items for women, leggings have become a
staple wardrobe item and are here to stay.
Because of their comfort level and versatility, Shaman says, they partially have
replaced denim; many women own both basic
and more fashionable leggings.
Thompson says leggings designs continue
to evolve. "Women look for other design
attributes like mesh cutouts, stitching
and prints to elevate leggings beyond a
basic black [option]."
Zimmerman expects leggings to still be
important in the future, but not growing
at the curremt rate, as women are trading
leggings for bike shorts and fleece bottoms.
"Women will continue to choose leggings,
but now there is more competition for outfit
pairings in the women's market," she says.

There's no question that performancewear is favored across various
demographic categories. However, Vanover says demographics play
a small role in shaping trends. Rather, how the garment is used influences trends.
"The amount of fashion or design is greatly dependent on the
sport," he says. "So, sports like golf, tennis, soccer and cycling are
examples where there is a great deal more emphasis on design. The
overall trend is an increase in design or looks of a garment without
sacrificing anything on the performance side, but some sports are
farther down that path."
Still, points out Johnson, there are a few gender differences; men
prefer a looser fit in garments, and women wear a mix of loose and
fitted. "For example, [women] may wear leggings with loose layers
on top," he says.
Zimmerman says women are gravitating toward matching pieces,
while men tend to dress using more basics. Another gender difference is that women prefer fashion over comfort, while men tend to
prefer the latter.
As far as age is concerned, Zimmerman says performance apparel
is the younger generation's "go-to" style, as they have grown up with
it as a wardrobe mainstay.

Textures, Fabrics & Colors
Emily Quilter, director of design with Augusta Sports Brands, says
texture is key in performancewear, including mesh paneling and
embossing; double-sided fabric constructions; quilting; and cozy,
brushed finishes.
Vanover, however, thinks texture in performancewear is not as important as the perception of performance. In other words: "A garment
must feel like it can perform," he says. "That means there must be
enough weight to it, and [it must be] soft enough that it feels comfortable while also being durable enough to last. This can often be
accomplished in the knitting process or by blending fabrics."
Zimmerman says the current dominant trend is sleeker and more
modern fabrics vs. textured fabrics, though texture has a place when
layering, such as mixing sleek, spandex performance pieces with fleece
pieces and nylon.
Certain technical fabric enhancements have become popular - if
not standard - in many garments, including odor control, moisture
wicking and UV sun protection, which keep the wearer cool and protected. Shaman and Zimmerman say antibacterial/antiviral attributes
also will gain traction.
"Cooling and warming will continue to grow, as well as muscle
recovery and wicking properties," Zimmerman says.
OCT./NOV. 2020

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Impressions - October/November 2020

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